The Moon Festival
by the kimono writers
Summary: [OneShot] Kaoru is having trouble putting on a kimono for the annual summer moon festival she seeks the help from Sano, but only more trouble comes! Warnings: Swearing minor and maybe OOCness. R&R!


**Disclaimer: We do not own RK or anything in part mentioned in this story, except for the ideas and plot…. Thanks!**

**A/N: may not be perfectly in character**

"What do you _mean_ I have to wear a _kimono_?" Sano could have almost felt Kaoru's glare of daggers through the sliding door as he walked by the small and rather dark kitchen.

"It is tradition that young women your age wear traditional dress to the moon festival," Dr. Genzai replied calmly as he followed the pacing Kaoru. Sano bit his lip to silence his chuckles as he peered in

A knife slammed into the cutting wooden block, _Oh shit, things are getting vicious_, Sano thought.

"And can you tell me when have I _ever_ listened to tradition, Oji-san!" Kaoru yelled, just as Sano grabbed the knife out of her hand. Let's just say the knife was bigger than his head… used to cut pigs and the like.

"Stop! What the hell's the big deal about wearing a kimono? I'm gonna put on a goddamned yukata, so calm down," Sano's voice got oddly low and the teapot suddenly got very interesting; since the present moment was more than a little awkward to him.

Cough Cough "So it it's settled then; Kaoru, I expect to see you in a kimono at the moon festival in three hours. Kenshin and Megumi are coming with us. I've got to go set it up with the children, _now_." Dr. Genzai hinted… "That means get dressed Kaoru!"

I finally admitted defeat as a stomped out of the kitchen and onto the steps… very loudly. Fine! Men are all so insensitive; they don't understand how hard it really is to put on a kimono… especially by yourself. Wait, do I even own a kimono?

45 minutes later…

"Yatta!" I screamed in the pit of tossed blankets and various objects formerly known as my room. I had found my mother's cean blue kimono with little white birds flying around… don't ask; I personally think she was an odd ball. Grinning to myself, I grabbed a hairpin and whipped my hair into a bun.

Ok... right over left, or was it left over right? Oh hell, does it really matter? Wait, I think it does, one is for dead people… Let's go with left over right

"Tuck this in here… pull this over here… tie the white string under here. Fold this over… I'm getting the hang of this!" (A/N insert sweat drop)

"Now for the obi belt!"

"Could you announce it any louder?" a deep voice mocked me from behind the door.

"Go screw yourself, Sano!"

"Haha…. Wanna help?"

"Pervert!"

"Wench!"

"Asshole!"

"Jackass!"

"Are trying to tell me you look at my ass!"

An awkward silence hung over the air like the cobwebs in the cellar.

I guessed he does and my vein was popping out of my skull. I knew this because there was a throbbing bump in my reflection in the mirror.

"Um… no… you don't have an ass! There's nothing to look at!"

My sliding door opened and I felt my hand slap over his face. "I resent that," I replied as I promptly slid the door shut. Oops… where did that come from?

I heard foot steps leave my door way… how odd, Sano didn't even reply. There weren't any witty or biting comebacks or any wrestling tactics thrown at me. This day couldn't possibly get any weirder. Wait, I looked down to see most of my upper body exposed, my undergarment had shifted position. Great! The asshole was looking at my breasts!

I grumbled through gritted teeth as I fixed the kimono and as I fidgeted with the obi belt, this is so not working and time is running out – only an hour left before I have to go and I didn't even put my hair up yet in the bun…. AHHH!

Desperate needs desperate measures, right? Right. How desperate? The sliding door opens.

"Saaaaaaaaaaano!" I yell as I pop my head out. Silence.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaasshooooooooooole!"

"You called?" Sano replies from around the corner with an eyebrow raised.

"Shut the fuck up and help me!"

"Ohh… temper," Sano replied waving his finger mockingly, "tsk tsk."

I must have given him a nasty look, since the next moment he pushed me into the room and was attempting to tie it.

"Sometimes you can be so forceful; chill out," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"You, Kaoru, need to take a va-ca-tion."

I resented that, but he was helping me, so I bit my lip, "Do you even know what you're doing?"

"Ha, no. I've only had experience with taking off the belts, why did I ever need to dress a girl – "

"Stop there, too much information, Sano."

"Oh please, don't tell me you and Kenshin haven't gone at it before." He threw a sly smile in the reflection of the mirror.

"What?" I turned around to glare, but that didn't work since he was more than a head taller than me.

"Oh turn around and stop being all PMS-y; lemme try this again."

Steam must have been coming out of my head… I swear.

I felt a foot kick into my lower back. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm trying to keep it tight so that Kenshin will have fun undressing you."

"Shut up with the Kenshin references! I don't even like him!" I really didn't; to be honest, I admired him like a fan would to an actor/ Kenshin turned out to be too polite and traditional and proper… it wouldn't have ever worked out even if I tried. Since then, I've shut up my heart and found Sano rather attractive. But, I'll never openly admit it.

I felt the belt drop…. Now what? Did I insult the rock or did I shock him…. Yet again? "What's the matter?"

"Oh… nothing… I just screwed up t-the knot th-thing." Typical.

"Alright, Sano stand in front of me."

"What?'

"Just do it."

"Alright." As the towering rock stood in front of me.

"Kneel." With a look of suspicion he got on his knees. This was fun… like commanding a dog. But Sano's not a dog, he's a friend, right? Right.

Sano's face eased up suddenly and a mischievous smile crossed his face.

"No not for that dimwit!" His face dropped mockingly. I couldn't help but laugh.

I grabbed the ends of the belt and motioned for him to tie it in front to twist to the bow back. That did not work. The end. "You incompetent… thing!"

"Lemme just try this again from the back." A surprisingly calm voice met my ears. I nodded.

I felt his daft fingers pull the thick material around my waist. And I thought it was working… no signs of jerking or pulling in opposite directions; I relaxed.

What happened next was so fast and unexpected; I swear I must have blinked.

The break down:

I fell onto Sano after he finally got the right thickness for the belt around my waist. In an effort to stand up, I grabbed the vanity, which by some force of nature hooked and untied onto the white strap on top of my kimono that kept it somewhat in place.

So my back is on top of Sano's chest, which is rather hard I must add. My kimono is open and exposing my undergarment, that yet again shifted position to expose a lot of the upper body…. What an interesting position to find myself.

"Are you alright?"

"I think." What a lie. I pushed up on one arm and heard a grunt. I was pushing on his chest! Ah embarrassment! I must have been blushing like there was no tomorrow. I obviously was so nervous since in an effort to get off him, I lifted my hand, only to fall on top of him, again, only this time the unexpected happened.

My face, rather my lips, made contact with a collar bone, I think. Without moving my head, I glanced up for a look at his face and it was the color of my red obi belt. His eyes locked mine and I felt his hand brush against my cheek. I felt my hairpin being pulled out to release my cascade of dark violet hair. His eyes changed color, a deep alluring hue of the warmest brown. Intrigued, I felt my hand lift to touch his lips. My actions were no longer my own; I was some how hypnotized. The rest is history and let's just say I never did make it to the moon festival wearing a kimono… I actually never made it to the festival; neither did Sano.


End file.
